We tried that in the US before. It was the "snack tax", and was used on food items not "nutritionally valuable". That didn't last long. At all. And it won't happen again. Government dictating what we can eat will only end in a very, very bad way.

This would be slightly different it if were accompanied by a lessened cost for healthcare, but because of the way the healthcare industry in the US is (corporate greed, no regulations), this would fail outright due to the double dip effect. And it would likely send our economy into a downward spiral into which it wouldn't recover for a very long time.

i'm for it. use that tax money to send food to people who aren't eating at all.

Originally Posted by Cattaclysmic

The evidence for leprechauns is immense - do you know how many socks dissappear on the world scale... This means that the chance of leprechauns exists is the same as them not existing - therefore you cannot deny their existence

Totally for. In the UK the NHS and tax payer has to pay hundreds of millions for these fatties and their crap choice of lifestyle, and its a drain on resources, and time for people who truly need those facilities.

1) Load the amount of weight I would deadlift onto the bench
2) Unrack
3) Crank out 15 reps
4) Be ashamed of constantly skipping leg day

i find it hard to agree with really, i would like to say yes, but we pay enough taxes in the UK, i dont think people want to pay anymore :P

Originally Posted by endus

A thread about how hard it is being a white dude is not really a reasonable topic.

Originally Posted by Gabriel

You are assuming Cybran actually reads the articles he links.
I suspect he is actually some Soviet algorithm gone rogue, transmitting from some forgotten bunker, responding to keywords by googling them and adding "+bad" to the search query, and then just copy/pasting anything it comes across.

well, we just got fat taxes in denmark. let me put it this way. if you buy soda, not alot but to a degree where the costs of it, digs a little hole in your monthly budget. we used to pay 4DKK for a ½ liter of a very cheap soda. now we pay 6DKK, thats almost 1 euro. i can see that it will prolly decrease the rising number of fat people (sorry i dont know how to spell the fancy word they use in TV.).

As much as most fat people disgust me, especially where I live, so obnoxious and use being fat as an excuse to park in handi-cap spots...terrible shit. It's no ones business to tell them what they can and can't do with their bodies, if you wanna be fat, unhealthy, and a slob by all means go ahead.

I do not suppotr any government telling it's citizens what they can and cannot do with their bodies. It will do no good eaither, look at ciggarets they have huge taxes and the rate of new smokers is rising. Education works better then Regulation. Showing people that healthy food can taste as good unhealthy food is the key. People peceive that healthly = no flavor. That is what needs to change.

Government dictating what we can eat will only end in a very, very bad way.

Dictating what we eat is very different than discouraging via taxes. If you really want it bad enough, you can still get it. It's not illegal, it's just discouraged.

I'm a fatty and I like fatty foods. But I still think this is a good idea. But it needs to be done right. They charge a fat tax. The money generated from that fat tax should be used to provide healthcare to Americans. There, so we have free healthcare for many Americans, at the same time causing less demand for that healthcare due to better eating habits.

Incidentally, I also like the idea of a luxury tax - a tax on expensive luxuries for the sake of reducing taxes on necessities. It would help bring back a middle class. I think taxes should be placed in such a way that people who need things don't pay as much, but people who just want things do. And it's not like this wouldn't affect me, I just think it'll help reduce poverty levels. Just like this (on topic) would reduce healthcare strain and people could be insured. Lots of taxes should be shifted to different sources.

I do not suppotr any government telling it's citizens what they can and cannot do with their bodies. It will do no good eaither, look at ciggarets they have huge taxes and the rate of new smokers is rising. Education works better then Regulation. Showing people that healthy food can taste as goos unhealthy food is the key. People peceive that healthly = no flavor. That is what needs to change.

No, the problem is that healthy = more money. Yes, healthy food cost more than crappy food. It's why ramen diets exist. The foods that are best for you are seldom the ones that you find on sale or cheap to begin with. Education doesn't help. We know what food is healthy and what isn't. We know healthy food can be tasty. The government should provide incentive to deviate from our unhealthy diets. They aren't telling us what we cannot do, but what we should not do. Huge difference.

Totally for. In the UK the NHS and tax payer has to pay hundreds of millions for these fatties and their crap choice of lifestyle, and its a drain on resources, and time for people who truly need those facilities.

So what about the people who aren't "fatties"? Why should they have to pay extra because other people don't know how to eat a balanced diet or get enough exercise?